If you’re not a fan of waterfalls, its safe to say that you’re probably not really going to enjoy a trip to Iceland.

Sure, there are a lot of other things that you can spend your time on when you visit the country, but you’re going to quickly realize that no matter where you go, there is surely a waterfall nearby.

Iceland is home to a countless number of waterfalls with each one of them unique in its own way.

The common feature of all of them is that they are a testament to the beauty of our planet’s natural environment and are one of the many reasons why so many people have been attracted to Iceland in recent years.

One of the most popular and highly visited of those is the beautiful cascading Seljalandsfoss falls in the south of the country. At sixty meters in height, it is one of the highest waterfalls in the country but arguably its most attractive feature (and one that makes it so popular with tourists and photographers alike) is that you can easily view it from the front and from the cave behind!

The water from Seljalandsfoss sources from the glacier-volcano, Eyjafjallajökull high in the mountains above the waterfall.

If you’re anything like myself, you probably have a hard time pronouncing pretty much all of these complicated Icelandic words - You are however very likely to have heard of this glacier-volcano though as it attracted world-wide attention in 2010 by causing mass disruptions in international air travel when it erupted and spewed ash all over Europe.

Local authorities have constructed a walkway around the waterfall which allows visitors to view it from several different vantage points.

Visitors who don’t mind getting wet can even take turns walking down to water-level at the rear of the waterfall to get those all-important travel shots.

Once you’ve walked around the perimeter of the waterfall, you’ll probably want to take some photos of it from the front. If you’ve got some time, you may also want to consider walking down the pathway to the left of the waterfall to an area where there is a hidden and somewhat obscure set of falls.

Visiting Seljalandsfoss doesn’t particularly require a lot of time but depending on the amount of tourists you could get stuck waiting in line on the path to the rear of the falls.

It is well worth the wait though, so try not to get too frustrated.

Things to Keep in Mind

When you visit this waterfall there are a few tips that you’re going to want to keep in mind:

You’re going to need a raincoat, or something to protect yourself from the cold mist. The waterfall is quite high, so it produces quite a bit of mist both in the front and in the cave behind. You will get wet, so its important to protect yourself.

It is a relatively short walk from the parking lot to the waterfall and the cave behind, but it is recommended that you wear proper hiking footwear when visiting. As mentioned above, the mist from the waterfall makes everything wet and the trail tends to become very muddy with all the people walking around it each day. Likewise, if you are visiting during the winter you are going to need to take extra precaution when visiting.

As one of the top locations or photos in Iceland, you’re very likely going to want to take photos while visiting the waterfall - This can be a bit difficult with the amount of mist that fogs up your camera’s lens. You’re going to want to make sure that you have something that you can safely wipe your lens with in-between shots.

When taking photos, be patient and make sure you take a lot of shots before you leave. You may end up getting back home and realizing that you’ve lot water spots all over your lens. Better safe than sorry!

If you are visiting during the summer months, one of the best times of the day to visit the waterfall - for the most iconic photos - is at midnight when the sun is setting. This might be difficult to schedule if you don’t have a lot of time, but your photos will be much better than mine if you can find the time!

There is currently a parking fee for visiting the waterfall - The parking fee goes towards maintenance of the trail and the facilities on-site. The parking fees are currently 700ISK for a car and 3000ISK for a bus ($7.00 / $30.00 USD)

Getting There

Seljalandsfoss is a one hour drive from the southern town of Selfoss, or a 120km drive from the capital city of Reykjavik along the Ring Road (Route 1).

Getting to the waterfall is quite easy and if you start early enough could be included as part of your tour around the Golden Circle.

While driving along the Ring Road, it is pretty much impossible not to notice the waterfall in the distance.

If you’re one of those people who always keeps their eyes on the road though, rest assured that there are signs that will let you know when to turn.

Seljalandsfoss is located along Þórsmörk Road #249 and conveniently has a large (paid) parking lot that offers tourists the quickest access to the trail that leads to the waterfall and behind it.

Once you’ve parked your car, the waterfall is a short walk from the parking lot.

If you’ve decided that you won’t bother renting a car while visiting Iceland, you’re going to have to rely on public transportation to get to the waterfall. There are tours out of the capital offered by tour groups like Reykjavik Excursions which offer tourists access to several different stops for around $100USD. It is important to remember that if you want to book a tour that you should do so well in advance as the seats on the daily tours tend to fill up quickly.

Before you reach the trail there are public restrooms, a gift shop and a coffee shop offering drinks, sandwiches and delicious-looking desserts.

As one of the most highly photographed locations in Iceland, you can most certainly expect to meet up with busloads of other tourists whenever you visit. Don’t let that deter you, this waterfall is one of the most popular for a reason and if you have the chance you visit you are definitely going to enjoy yourself while getting wet and taking beautiful photos!

Featuring quite a few of Iceland’s most iconic tourist destinations, the aptly named “Golden Circle” tourist route is one of the most popular excursions for anyone visiting the country.

The 300 kilometre route is a loop that takes you from the capital city of Reykjavik into the southern area of the country and then back again to the capital.

Usually completed as a day-trip, the Golden Circle is situated on a well-established route that can be visited year-round. The popularity of the route also means that tourists will have a variety of options when considering their itinerary and how they’ll get around.

The three primary stops along the Golden Circle are the Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss Waterfall, but there is so much more than you can see and do while making your way around the loop.

With this blog post, I will offer short introductions to some of the most popular attractions along the Golden Circle as well as provide links to the articles I’ve posted about each location.

I will also offer some travel tips and advice for getting around and making the most of your trip.

Route Map

The Golden Circle is an extremely easy route to follow - Once you get yourself outside of the capital city, its more or less a straight drive as you pass by the most important stops along the way.

There are of course other locations that you can check out, but it would be hard to argue that you’d get lost along the way. Most of the destinations are just a simple stop off the main highways.

If you are travelling by car, its likely that you’ll have access to a GPS either in the car or on your phone - Use of a GPS will ensure that you arrive at your destination and most importantly at the best parking space.

The entire route is about 300 kilometres in length, but once you get started you’ll find that each location is never more than an hour away from the previous one.

There are also many other scenic locations to stop along the way for some photos - especially the vast fields full of Icelandic horses!

Þingvellir National Park

Once you’ve left Reykjavík, the first place you’ll find yourself driving through is the historic Þingvellir National Park (Pronounced Thingvellir) which has a special place in the hearts of the Icelandic people.

The drive through the park is beautiful and there are several places where tourists can stop along the way to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

The first major destination along the route is the beautiful Öxaráfoss Waterfall.

The waterfall admittedly isn’t as big as some of the others that you’ll see during your Icelandic travels, but it is a beauty and the area was featured as a shooting location for the Game of Thrones television series.

Visiting the waterfall is free of charge and is a short walk from the parking lot.

The second major destination along the route is Geysir Geothermal Area.

The park, which is also free of charge is known for its somewhat dormant ‘Great Geysir’ as well as the very active Strokkur geyser which erupts every five to ten minutes.

When visiting, its a good idea to stick around to see a few of the geysers eruptions, check out some of the hot spring pools and possibly also taking a walk up the small mountain for some great views of the valley.

You won’t need a lot of time to visit this area, but it certainly is an enjoyable one - especially if you haven’t seen a live geyser erupt before!

Once you’ve visited the three most important of the Golden Circle’s destinations, depending on how much time you have, you’ll likely be able to visit a few more of the destinations along the route back home.

One location which I highly recommend is the relatively unpopular Faxifoss Waterfall.

The waterfall, which shares the same water source as Gullfoss is a beautiful set of falls where you are able to walk right up to the shore or to the top of the falls.

Getting around the Golden Circle

If you’re travelling through Iceland, the best thing you could do is rent a car in advance and pick it up directly at the airport.

Renting a car is your cheapest option for transportation as buses and taxi’s will end up costing considerably more than driving a car would.

If you are adamant that you don’t want to drive a car, there are a variety of options to get you around the Golden Circle. You could arrange to hire a cab in Reykjavik that will transport you along the route. This will end up being quite expensive, but if you are travelling in a group or can find others willing to travel with you, you can save some cash.

The better option would be to sign up for one of the hundreds of tour options from one of the many tour groups in the capital. Reykjavik Excursions for example has quite a few options for tours along the Golden Circle. Prices there tend to vary between $60-100USD, which seem quite reasonable.

Are you driving? Driving yourself is probably the best way to get around the Golden Circle. There are a few things you’ll want to take into consideration before your trip though:

Are you visiting during Summer? The roads are well-maintained and are easy to travel.

Are you visiting during Winter? If so, don’t rent the smallest car possible. You’re going to need a 4x4 to ensure your safety.

Don’t be fooled by the wide open roads. Speeding is going to cost you and there are speed traps all over the route.

There are roundabouts all over the country which are excellent ways to keep people from speeding especially when entering a town. If you are coming up to a roundabout, be sure to reduce your speed as much as possible. There are often speed traps nearby and if you get caught you won’t be happy with the results!

Make sure to have a GPS in your car or have Google Maps available on your phone so that you don’t get lost or randomly pass by one of your destinations. Oxrarfoss for example doesn’t have a lot of signage pointing in its direction. You could pass by without even noticing!

There are only a few gas stations along the route, so you’re going to want to make sure that you leave with a full tank of gas.

You’ll want to take into consideration the direction you’re going to start in - For example, if getting to Gullfoss early in the morning (when its least busy) is your top priority, you may want to start the route from the south. If you prefer a more leisurely drive, you’ll probably want to head directly to Þingvellir National Park.

There aren’t very many places to eat along the route, so it’d be a good idea to pack a lunch with snacks and beverages for the day. The few restaurants along the way are quite expensive.

Stopping along the side of the road to take photos of the beautiful scenery - and of course and Icelandic horses - is recommended but be sure to park somewhere safe that won’t impede traffic. There are many public car stops and camp grounds along the way for you to use!

Save for an entrance fee at Crater Kerið (400ISK/pax) you won’t have to pay entrance or parking fees at any of the other stops along the way - Unless of course you decide to visit one of the hot spring resorts.

Traveling the Golden Circle is a very economic way to see some of the best scenery Iceland has to offer!

Have some extra time? Why not turn the daytrip into a several day trip? To make the most of the Golden Circle, you could easily spend the night in one of the cabins or campsites along the way. Spending the night allows you to see and do more and in the summer allows you much more time to explore!

There are several online guides on the web dedicated to helping people make the best of their Icelandic holiday. If you are looking for more help with tours, accomodations and food options for your trip, be sure to check out some of these excellent resources:

The Golden Circle is a landscape lovers paradise - There is so much to see and do while visiting small patch of heaven. Most people have a wonderful day trip while visiting the area but others spend several days enjoying the beauty of the natural landscape. Whatever you choose to do, you’re sure to have a great time!